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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25409554">Hair Care for Those who Dare</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChromaticTritone/pseuds/ChromaticTritone'>ChromaticTritone</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Code:Realize ～創世の姫君～ | Code: Realize - Guardian of Rebirth (Visual Novel)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Post-Canon, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 03:47:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>643</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25409554</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChromaticTritone/pseuds/ChromaticTritone</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Cardia wants her hair to be done like Impey’s, so he braids it for her.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Impey Barbicane/Cardia Beckford</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Hair Care for Those who Dare</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Inspired by this drawing of Cardia braiding Impey’s hair: https://66.media.tumblr.com/405fad5a3ed678ecf6e5ca40f767a82f/5781512975fd9153-8e/s500x750/efa294264f8ed6ab45769982c46ec20687d651ce.png</p>
<p>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cardia looks at Impey thoughtfully as he enters the sitting room. He’s been outside working, and his hair has been up in his usual braid. She knows by now that it helps him stay cool &amp; refreshed while working, especially on hot days. But there’s another thought rising in the back of her throat that she can’t quite ignore…</p>
<p>Impey looks over at her and, meeting her eyes, he gives one of his signature big smiles. “Hello my princess! I’m done working for today! Which means—“ he says, grinning mischievously—“that you have me allll to yourself now!”</p>
<p>Cardia smiles back. “I’m glad, my prince.”</p>
<p>She pats the seat next to her on the couch, and he sits down beside her. “Impey…” she says. Then, she bites her lip.</p>
<p>“What is it, my princess?”</p>
<p>She sighs. “This may be silly, but…”</p>
<p>“No word is silly when it comes from your mouth, my princess!”</p>
<p>She beams. “Alright, then…”</p>
<p>She hesitates for another moment before the words burst out of her. “I want my hair done like yours!”</p>
<p>Impey blinks.</p>
<p>“Wait, what?”</p>
<p>She blushes, suddenly feeling dreadfully embarrassed. And so, she turns away from her lover. </p>
<p>“It’s just…you always look so nice with your braid, and even though I know it’s just so you don’t get hot when you’re working, I want to experience it too…” She bites her lip again. “Is that silly?”</p>
<p>After a moment, she feels a light sensation on her head, and turns back to Impey to see him stroking her hair. He gives her a gentle smile. “It’s not silly at all, my princess. And I would be happy to braid your hair.”</p>
<p>He grins even wider. “In fact, I’ll do it right now! Turn around!”</p>
<p>“Oh!” Cardia says in surprise. “Alright!” She turns around so her back is to Impey. </p>
<p>He touches her hair, and Cardia is surprised by his gentle touch. He feels him gently stroke her hair, and after a few moments of him doing so, she giggles. “Impey, I thought you were going to braid it!”</p>
<p>“Sorry, Cardia! I can’t help it; your hair is so silky &amp; smooth! Ok, I’ll braid it now.”</p>
<p>His hands move daintily across Cardia’s brown locks of hair, and she sits in silence and in anticipation of what he’ll do.</p>
<p>“How was your work today?” she says, just so they have something to talk about while he braids her hair.</p>
<p>“It was great!” he says, and she can practically hear him smiling. “I may not be going to the moon just yet, but with the special Impey Barbicane New NeoSteam engine, people will move across Britain faster than ever! Well, as soon as it’s finished of course.”</p>
<p>“Of course,” Cardia says with a smile. “It’s what I admire about you—your willingness to make life better for everyone around you.”</p>
<p>This time, she can practically hear him blush. “M-my princess, when you say things like that, you become even more beautiful than ever!”</p>
<p>She giggles “Why think you, my prince.”</p>
<p>He removes his hands from her hair. “Alright, all done! Let’s look in the mirror so you can see how I did!”</p>
<p>They walk over to a small hand mirror on one of the sitting room’s side tables—and Cardia gasps in shock.</p>
<p>Her hair is no longer long and sweeping over her shoulders; no, instead it is now in its own small, self-contained braid that looks just like Impey’s. She touches the braid gingerly. Then, she turns to Impey and smiles. “It’s perfect. I think I like…looking like you.”</p>
<p>He smiles back, an embarrassed blush slowly filling his face. “I’m so glad to hear that, Cardia.”</p>
<p>Without another word, Cardia closes the gap between them, kissing Impey softly on the check.</p>
<p>They spend the rest of the evening together in each company, their hair styles in a perfect match.</p>
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